FOOD FOR THOUGHT

So, there’s a birthday in the office, you know what that means? CAKE! It’s so tempting I know (even though you know you’ll feel sluggish and probably regret it afterwards). Even the biscuits with a cup of tea, you say you’ll eat one but end up eating 10 – how can you not when they taste so good? I can hold my hands up and say there’s so much temptation, but you must resist the urges to binge on junk food whilst you’re working.

You may say that it’s easier said than done, but, if you change a few eating habits you may feel a whole lot more productive! If you’re struggling with your eating habits at work, then you’re in the right place for a few tips that can help:

• Portion sizes matter: You may think that if you’re eating something healthy that you can in theory eat more of it. That’s where you’re wrong, too much of anything isn’t good. In fact, too much food in one sitting can actually decrease your productivity, making you tired and distracted (which isn’t good when you have a long list of things to do). The key is smaller and more frequent meals to maintain your energy and keep you working!
• Keep hydrated: There is a very common mistake that people say they feel hungry and eat something, when in fact their body is telling them they are thirsty. It’s so important that you remember to drink at least 2 litres of water a day. Water hydrates your brain, providing you with the energy to carry out day to day tasks. So, next time you feel peckish even though you’ve eaten, try having a glass of water, and if you still feel the same then have a little snack.
• Make it easy to have healthy snacks: We all love to snack throughout the day and it’s so easy to snack on chocolate or biscuits if they’re right in front of you. I hate to break it to you, but it’s time for a swap, try swapping a bag of sweets for some raisins or almonds in your desk. Little changes like this will seriously increase your energy, and in turn improve productivity.
• Decide what you’re having before lunch: Or, if you’re seriously organised, prepare your lunch the night before. Preparing your own healthy lunch will stop you nipping out on your break and buying the easiest thing – it will also save you a lot of money. However, if you don’t have time for that, make sure you decide on what you’re having before your lunch hour. This way you’ll know where you’re heading, and it will prevent detours to the dreaded pasty shop (even if it smells amazing).

If you keep these things in mind, I’m sure it’ll help you feel a lot more energetic and productive at work, and we all know that having more energy makes you feel a lot better in yourself (and we all love to feel good).

Do you have any more ideas about food habits at work? If so, I would love to hear them. Leave a comment below!